1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to customer relationship management systems performed by computers, and in particular, to the implementation of a “pattern detection” function for use by a customer relationship management system in accessing data from a relational database management system.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer-implemented customer relationship management (CRM) systems are used to help companies more effectively understand and communicate with their individual customers. Generally, CRM systems are implemented to support the marketing activities of a company, including modeling customer behavior, personalizing marketing activities directed at customers, and communicating with customers. Towards this end, CRM systems typically provide the capability to analyze what is transpiring in the business from customer, product and event viewpoints.
However, the analysis capabilities of prior CRM systems do not provide all the functionality needed. There is a need, especially, for pattern detection capabilities that detect temporal patterns in the data mined from a relationship database management system and that provide the ability to automatically take marketing action based on customers who exhibit certain patterns.